


Love's Remnant

by Makira820



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Addiction, Alternate Universe - Future, Angst, Character Death, F/M, Guilt, Metaverse (Persona 5), Murder, Soulmates, Substance Abuse, Time Travel, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-10-14
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:13:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 21,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26997274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Makira820/pseuds/Makira820
Summary: Presented with the opportunity to heal all of his wife's pain and suffering, Akira goes to great lengths to ensure Makoto gets to live a happy life void of scars and heartbreak.
Relationships: Amamiya Ren/Niijima Makoto, Kurusu Akira/Niijima Makoto, Niijima Makoto/Persona 5 Protagonist
Comments: 2
Kudos: 60
Collections: ShuMako Mini Bang





	1. Chapter 1

At what point is it acceptable to fear the worst? Ten minutes late? No big deal, she probably just got caught in traffic. Thirty? Maybe she was just held up at work. An hour? That's his limit. That's when he would begin to pay heed to his worst fears. Something was wrong, and it was his job to ascertain what and make sure Makoto was okay.

No sooner than when Akira grabbed his keys was he met by the sound of the front door closing.  _ Relief _ . At least, that's what he felt before setting eyes upon his wife. She didn't return his loving gaze, or even announce her return to their home as they both would normally do. Instead she looked... _ heartbroken. _ Akira wanted to ask why, but held in her hands was the answer: a box containing all of her belongings from her desk at work. She wouldn't have brought any of that home unless…

A single tear landed on the photo of her father within the box. Then another, and another as Makoto began crying in earnest. Akira immediately closed the distance between them and took the box from her hands, to be replaced with his back as she returned the embrace he gave her.

"I...I failed him…" she sobbed into her husband's shoulder. Not another word was spoken as Akira guided her to their bedroom.

Earlier that day, Makoto had been suspended from active duty. For  _ "insubordination and inappropriate use of police resources," _ as her chief put it. Everything she did was as by the book as she could possibly make it, and yet when she submitted her report on the public safety of Shinjuku, her chief outright shot down her task force proposal.

Her chief called her investigation a vendetta, and really, she couldn't argue. It  _ was  _ personal. The very same criminal organization she was pursuing was the one that took her father from her. Not long after being accepted onto the force did she come to accept that bringing those bastards to justice was at least half her reason for wanting to become a police officer in the first place.

_ Ten years. _

That's how long she carried this burden and its accompanying pain within her. Honoring his memory and avenging his death _ ,  _ those were her aspirations in life, and today both of those goals were taken from her. The feeling of being useless once again was almost impossible to bear. All she could do now was let it all out. Thankfully, a warm bed shared with a caring husband was perfectly suited for her to cry to her shattered heart's content.

Hours passed before Makoto's sobbing was replaced with the sound of soft breathing. The whole time, Akira laid beside her, holding and comforting her until he was confident she had drifted into a much deserved rest.

He didn't think less of her for crying so much—neither of them would ever judge the other being the equals that they were. But because of that equality, he too felt useless. They shared a life and everything that came with it, including each others' suffering. But there just wasn't anything he could do to ease the pain his wife was now feeling. He couldn't undo her suspension, he couldn't magically make the bastards turn themselves in, and…

...he couldn't bring her father back. Losing him was the root of this pain she was feeling, everything else could only scrape away at the reopened scar. Happily married though they were, it could never change the fact that no matter how much he loved Makoto, nothing he could do would ever be able to completely heal that heartbreak. Today's events served only as the latest reminder.

A stillness filled their bedroom as Akira stared up at the ceiling in thought. There was once a time in their lives that seemingly impossible feats were actually  _ doable _ . But those days were long gone. After the Phantom Thieves, they all agreed to stop taking such defiant risks and make the most of their lives in the world they lived in. Of course he wanted to do that, but another part of him couldn't help but long for a little supernatural intervention right about now. Something beyond the standard, supportive husband routine. Just a chance to help his wife in a way no normal spouse could. Wishful thinking, he supposed.

He rolled to the side to face his wife, gently brushing her messy hair out of her face before touching his forehead to her's.

"I don't know how, but I'll take care of you. I promise..." he whispered.

Her involuntary response was a light rumble of her stomach. Suddenly he was reminded that they had skipped dinner. Akira turned his head over towards their alarm clock. It was well after midnight. Too late for dinner and not really worth disrupting her hard earned slumber. A nice breakfast, perhaps? Standard was better than nothing. Carefully, he slid out of bed, turning only to drape a blanket over his sleeping wife before placing a soft kiss on her cheek.

Once in the kitchen, he checked the refrigerator for options. Slim pickings, unfortunately. He had planned to go do some grocery shopping earlier today, but with Makoto coming home late and being in the state that she was, he threw those plans out the window in favor of being her tear sponge. It was the right call, obviously, but it left their fridge and pantry lacking in ingredients for a truly "cheer up, honey!" breakfast. Luckily, there was a 24/7 convenience store just a few blocks over from their apartment. A trip to the store in the dead of night for a gallon of milk was a pilgrimage he was more than willing to make for Makoto.

As he stepped into the foyer to put on his shoes, he realized they had left her belongings on the bench. He took the box and placed it inside one of the cupboards underneath. He didn't want Makoto to see the box in the morning and be reminded of what she considered a disappointment to her father. The photo would stay out though. Plenty of pictures of her father were displayed around the apartment, so one more surely wouldn't upset her even if it was the one she brought home from work.

"...She'll be okay." Akira spoke to the picture as if speaking to the man directly. He carefully placed it with the rest of their photos. Keys and wallet in pocket, he left the apartment, closing the door softly behind him so as not to wake Makoto. She wouldn't even know he stepped out.

The backstreets of their neighborhood were eerily quiet as Akira walked from streetlight to streetlight. Just eight hours earlier, children played loudly in these streets as their parents engaged in the everyday chit-chat amongst each other. Now? Not a sound, save for the crickets and light buzzing of each streetlight. It wasn't too surprising given the hour. He was alone in these streets.

...Or so he thought. Unbeknownst to him he was being followed as soon as he stepped outside the apartment.

Akira's plan now was to wake up bright and early and make Makoto the best breakfast she ever had. Afterwards, maybe he'd give Sae a call and see if there was any legal action they could take against her chief. Unlikely, but it was all he could think to do at the moment. It  _ was _ a bit strange for the chief of police to look at a no-doubt detailed report on criminal activity, from arguably the most respected up-and-coming officer in the entire precinct, and still ignore the call for action. And then just throw a suspension on top of that? It wasn't like he was reprimanding Makoto, but instead silencing her.

_ 'Could he be…working with them?' _ Akira thought to himself as he stepped out into the main road.

That's when it hit him. Not the realization that his wife's chief was dirty, but something  _ big _ . Something  _ metal. _ Pain shot up his left side as his feet rose off the ground. His shoulder busted through the windshield as his body violently tumbled across the roof of the vehicle before falling head-first onto the pavement. All Akira could see as his consciousness faded were two taillights getting smaller as the driver kept going.

And then there was only darkness.

* * *

…

…

…

_ 'The sky is...red...?' _

Akira laid facing up on the pavement, watching the clouds go in circles over and over. His body remained motionless but his eyes followed the clouds endlessly. He lacked the curiosity to ask  _ why  _ he was doing this, or even  _ why  _ he was laying in the middle of the street. Not even the unnatural color of the sky piqued his interest enough to make him get up and try to figure things out. Both he and the world around him seemed frozen in place, save for the clouds rolling in circles in the red sky.

The buildings around him were all gray. Neon lights that would usually be lit up and flashing simply weren't. They still had words on them though. If he wanted to read them and find out where he was, he  _ could.  _ But he didn't. He lacked all desires. He didn't blink, he didn't even breathe. He was prepared to do nothing for all eternity until...

_ Thump! _

His body tensed, electricity coursing through him as the lights around him flickered

_ THUMP! _

This time his back arched, before his body slammed back down against the pavement as he gasped for air. The lights around him all switched on at once, staying on as he rolled to his side and coughed.

' _ What…? What am I doing here?'  _ he finally asked in his head.

He looked around at the surrounding signs to get his bearings.  _ Happy Dog. Legend Land. Bar Crossroads.  _ He was in Shinjuku apparently. But why?

_ 'How did I get here?' _

He searched his person. All he had on him was his keys and wallet. No phone. He checked his wallet. No receipt for a train ticket, no clue as to how he got here. His memory certainly wasn't proving a reliable source of information.

As if that wasn't strange enough, he didn't see a single person around. Shinjuku was always crowded—morning, day and night. Something was clearly different, and the sky confirmed it. With renewed eyes he looked up at the red skies above, still cycling its cloud track. It could only mean one thing.

_ '...The Metaverse?' _

A vaguely familiar laugh echoed around the street corner as if waiting for the precise moment Akira came to realize his current situation. With little else to go on, he followed the laugh to its source: a table at which a certain fortune teller would normally sit. But it wasn't a fortune teller occupying it now…

It was the balding, long-nosed man himself:  _ Igor.  _ His perpetual toothy grin spread across his face as he expertly shuffled a deck of tarot cards.

**_"My, my…"_ ** Igor spoke.  **_"It would seem you are lost, Trickster."_ **

"Igor? What are you doing here? What am  _ I  _ doing here?" Akira asked.

As expected, a straightforward answer was not offered. Instead Igor merely gestured to the seat in front of him. Akira did as suggested as Igor splayed the tarot cards out on the table between them.

**_"A memory, countless moments in time, all lost to the one you hold dear."_ **

Igor flipped the card in the center of the row face-up to reveal the High Priestess. Suddenly the haze in Akira's mind began to clear. He remembered the turmoil Makoto was facing. How broken her heart was, and how powerless he was to help her.

"Makoto…I…" Akira shook his head. "But why am I here? How does this help her?"

**_"When one's own resolve fails, the heart seeks change. What change were you brought here to make, you may wonder?"_ **

"Change…?" 

_ CRASH! _

A very loud sound stole Akira's full attention as he sprang to his feet. He frantically looked around, searching for the source yet could see nothing in the immediate area. 

"Igor, what was-" Akira began to ask before turning back to the table. Igor was  _ gone,  _ leaving only a messy pile of cards on the table as if they had been dropped out of thin air. Confusion surfaced in his mind, only to be cut off once again by the sound.

_ CRASH! _ This time it was louder, as if beckoning investigation.

Akira could see no path forward other than to follow the sound. Cautiously, he made his way down the barren backstreets of the red light district. Despite being in the Metaverse, his attire remained unchanged. That served as a small source of comfort that whatever the sound was, at least it didn't perceive him as a threat. Still, as he made his way towards the sound, it only grew louder and more violent sounding. He knew better than anyone that cognition was a malleable construct, meaning the sound could turn on him at a moment's notice. Better safe than sorry.

Eventually, he arrived at an alleyway—the source of the mysterious sound. At the opposite end of the alley, a silhouette of a man could be seen against the blinding light of the street beyond. The man would walk forward into the light before being swept away by a larger shadow that raced past the entrance. And then...

_ CRASH! _

Then the scene seemed to reset to its original position, with the man back in the alley before making his way towards the entrance. The larger shadow raced by once again, followed by the now predictable sound:

_ CRASH! _

Akira looked back up to the sky as if finally realizing something. The  _ clouds _ . They would go around in circles before resetting at the exact moment this scene reset. He was stuck in some kind of time loop. But why? What was so important about this event he was bearing witness to? What did it have to do with Makoto?

The answer became clear as he approached the man from behind. Slowly, the man came into focus. He had short, ash-brown hair. The outer edges of his scruffy, short beard could be seen on either side of his face. His shoulders were broad yet his posture was perfect as he stood up straight and proud. He wore neat and clean clothes, too clean to be the average street clothes one would normally wear in a red light district. They served a purpose—work clothes of some kind. Like something a police detective would wear.

Akira couldn't help but notice the similarities to all the photos he'd seen over the years. It couldn't be…could it? But why was walking out into the street only to be struck by a...car?

_ 'Oh my god…' _ Akira thought as the grim nature of what he was watching finally dawned on him.

The man was Makoto's father, Isamu Niijima. This was the moment he was murdered.

Akira felt sick. Why and how was he seeing this? For what purpose was he being made to watch his father-in-law die over and over? To change it? He couldn't "change" something that already happened in the world. This is just a cognitive construct.

…Isn't it?

_ CRASH!  _

Akira watched helplessly as Makoto's father died once again.

_ CRASH! _

The single, most painful day of his beloved's life. The day her heart was shattered into a million pieces, never to be completely whole again.

_ CRASH! _

Nothing he could do would change it. This was his punishment for being useless to her.

_ CRASH! _

...No more. Akira couldn't stand idly by and watch this atrocity take place. He didn't care if it wouldn't make a difference. All he knew was that if he stood there and did nothing, he wouldn't be the man who vowed to do everything in his power to make Makoto's life a better one.

Akira reached out and grabbed her father by the shoulder. Isamu didn't seem to notice at first as he tried to take another step. But then he stopped. He turned his head to the side and stared with yellow eyes at the hand clutching his shoulder and hindering his advance. The cycle was broken.

"Can I help you?" he asked, turning around to address the strange young man properly.

"O-Oh, um…" Akira stammered.

He hadn't thought this far ahead. What could he say?  _ "Hey, I'm your juvenile daughter's husband from the future and I'm here to prevent your murder?"  _ From what he knew of her father, he's liable to punch him square in the face after he said "husband." The truth was not his ally in this. He had to improvise.

"Yeah, actually. I'm a new recruit and I was wondering if you might share some advice. You're  _ the  _ Inspector Niijima, right?" Akira asked.

"Yes, that would be me," Isamu answered.

"You must have been on the force for quite some time, then."

"I've been wearing this shield for nearly twenty years, son."

_ Son. _ He couldn't possibly know how happy it made Akira to hear him say that.

"Do you have a family, Inspector Niijima?" 

Isamu crossed his arms and gave Akira a discerning look. "Why do you ask?"

_Shit_. That punch was looking more likely now. He should have known better than to ask a widower father of two girls about his family. Of course he was overprotective of them after losing his wife. Actually...that could work.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you. It's just…my wife is pregnant," Akira lied.

Isamu relinquished his judging glare. "And you want to know how to balance fatherhood with police work, is that it?"

"Yeah…" 

Isamu chuckled and leaned up against the wall of the alley. "Well, how about this? When  _ you _ figure it out, rookie, you can come tell this old dog how it's done?"

"Has it made life challenging for you and your family?" Akira asked.

"That's one way of putting it. You see, my wife passed around ten years back. My oldest really stepped up to fill the shoes left by her mother for her sister's sake. I work a lot, can't always be there, you know how it goes. Now she resents me for not being around to be the parent of the house."

"What about your other daughter?" Akira asked.

Isamu smiled. " _ Makoto _ . That girl idolizes everything I do. She thinks I'm some sort of crusader of justice."

"Wait, aren't you?" Akira joked, feigning surprise.

Isamu laughed louder this time. "Oh, if you were ten years younger…"

Akira wanted oh so desperately to comment on that ironic remark, but refrained using every ounce of his willpower. Instead he focused on the idea that just sprang into his head: Makoto was 14-years-old from her father's perspective. It was shortly before her 15th birthday that he was murdered. A horrible and depressing thing to know, but  _ useful. _

"A teenager then? I'm definitely not looking forward to having one of those…" Akira doubled down on the lie.

"Actually, her teen years haven't been so trying for us," Isamu explained what Akira already knew. "She's turning 15 next week and still hasn't brought home a boy for me to grill."

"Oh? Any special plans for the occasion?" Akira asked.

Isamu raised a brow at his odd curiosity before shrugging it off. "Well, my oldest daughter has been trying to get me to go shopping with her for Makoto's birthday. But with work and everything, it's been difficult finding the time."

"You should go shopping with her," Akira sternly insisted. "Your girls are more important than your job."

Isamu once again stared at him with discernment as if trying to spot some hidden intent within the young man's words. Akira had learned from his many interactions with his sister-in-law that the best thing to do when those judging eyes stared him down, regardless of current coloration, was to stare back into them and not budge an inch. It succeeded, as Makoto's father looked down and let out a sigh.

"Yeah...you're right. It's not fair of me to expect Sae to play the role of sister  _ and  _ parent," he admitted. "Especially not when she's working her way through college."

Isamu thought on it for a moment as he peered down the alleyway at what was, in his eyes, the next step in furthering his career. He could just go with it, his ideals certainly insisted that he pursue this lead of his. But Makoto's happiness was more important to him now more than ever. And it took a boy he'd never even met to help him realize that. That's not the kind of father he wanted to be.

"You know what? You're absolutely right, officer…?"

"Kurusu. Akira Kurusu, sir," Akira finished for him.

"Well, Akira, it's been a pleasure speaking with you. You reminded me to keep my priorities in check. And for that, I thank you."

Isamu waved over his shoulder before taking out his phone to call Sae as he walked towards the other end of the alleyway. Akira waved back as a bittersweet smile found its way upon his lips. He knew none of this was real, that he didn't actually save Makoto from a life of heartache and suffering. But a small part of him was relieved that somewhere, in some way, her father didn't die today. 

As he closed his eyes, he could see Makoto smiling back at him as the familiar sensation of leaving the cognitive world enveloped him.

It felt... _ different,  _ somehow.

* * *

Akira's eyes opened to see the same alleyway he departed from. He looked up at the dimly lit night sky above him. It was almost dawn.

_ 'Makoto should be waking up soon…I better get home.' _

Despite his enlightening little journey to the cognitive past, he still had no idea how he ended up in Shinjuku of all places. He remembered stepping out for groceries (that he apparently didn't get), but what happened after that…? His memory felt a bit hazy even here in the real world.

He was too lost in thought to hear the footsteps running up behind him. A man, armed with a knife, grabbed Akira by the shoulder and slammed him against the wall of the alley. It all happened so fast that he had some trouble processing the situation up until the moment the man stuck the knife up to his chest.

"Give me all yer money, asshole!" the man demanded.

"Wait, are you… _ mugging _ me?" Akira asked, too baffled to comply. This was a first for him.

"The fucks'it look like, dumbass?! Ya never been mugged before?! Your fucking wallet, hand it over, n-"

Akira smacked the knife off target while he was prattling on. He twisted the boney man's wrist with ease until he had no choice but to drop the blade. He kicked the knife away before releasing the man who apparently lacked any balance as he fell on his ass shortly thereafter.

"Next time, maybe try mugging someone when you're sober," Akira said. "Or better yet, just  _ don't. _ "

Akira started to walk away, choosing to give the man not another second of his time. It wasn't confidence, more like optimism that the man had the better judgement than to go for round two.

"Asshole…!" the man bellowed as he scrambled to his feet and picked up the knife.

Misplaced optimism, it would seem. Akira sighed as he turned around, ready to disarm the fool once more. As the man lunged towards him with the knife, Akira reached for his wrist.

...But he caught nothing. His hand went straight through the man's wrist. Brief fear consumed Akira as the knife continued onwards toward his abdomen.

...But it pierced nothing. He didn't feel a thing as the cold metal went straight through his stomach, followed by the man himself as he phased straight through Akira and fell face first onto the pavement behind him.

Frozen in place, Akira stared at his body in shock and horror. He was invisible in places and numb all over. It was reminiscent of the time in the metaverse when…no, this was different somehow. The mugger, a stranger, was cognizant of him enough to try and steal from him. It was as if something  _ else  _ was trying to erase him from existence. Panic overcame him at the thought that he would disappear without Makoto knowing how or why. He couldn't do that to her, he would never…!

A tear fell from his eye as most of his body had faded into nothingness. But just as it reached his shoulders, he felt something tangible yank him from behind by the collar of his shirt.

The next thing he  _ felt _ was landing on his ass. He could feel again. He'd never been so relieved to have a sore posterior. But it wasn't as sore as it should have been if he had fallen on pavement. The ground was soft, blue…

It was the carpet in the center of the velvet room.

**_"Trickster…Welcome to a new world."_ **

Akira looked up at the sight of Igor standing in the center of the room. He had neither desk nor chair, and the surrounding prison cells weren't even visible in the pitch black darkness surrounding the small circle of carpet beneath them. 

"I am glad to see you are alright."

A gloved hand reached down beside Akira's face. He tilted his head to see Lavenza, who looked just as relieved as he that she was able to pull him into the velvet room in time. He accepted her hand and stood to his feet, overjoyed that he could once again feel his limbs.

"What happened? What do you mean  _ 'new world?'  _ And why did my body almost disappear?!" Akira immediately asked the two.

**_"This world is not the one you called home. It is a parallel world of your own creation by changing a single event in the past."_ **

"The past? I thought that was just a cognitive recreation," Akira said. "Wait...are you saying I actually saved Makoto's father?"

"...That matter should not be the focus of your concern right now, Trickster," Lavenza weaned him off.

**_"Indeed. In creating a world in which events occurred differently, you have created a world in which this version of you does not belong."_ **

"So...that's why I was beginning to disappear? I was being erased from time?"

**_"Correct. Though the unique ability of one who possesses the wild card and the power of your own cognition have momentarily spared you, I must warn you: It will not last long."_ **

So Makoto would have her father, but lose her husband? Was that a sacrifice he was willing to make for his wife? He knew his answer, but would  _ she  _ want him to make that sacrifice?

"...I can see from the look on your face that you are actually considering letting that happen," Lavenza said, interrupting Akira's thoughts. "There is something else you must know. Master?"

Akira and Lavenza both looked to Igor, who seemed to be...in pain? His eerie smile was still present, but his hands were tightly clenched by his sides and beads of sweat rolled down his temples. The darkness all around slowly closed in further on their little circle until his eyes became even more bloodshot, seemingly stopping the darkness's advance.

**_"...Your defeat of Yaldabaoth was not absolute."_ **

"...What?" Akira asked.

**_"Yaldabaoth only remains at bay by the cognitive memory of his defeat. In other words, he lives on within you."_ **

Akira looked both disturbed and confused. "That's...a lot to take in. But what does Yaldabaoth have to do with any of this?" he asked.

**_"It was not I with whom you spoke in that other world."_ **

Akira's eyes widened as it all clicked into place. "So you mean... _ he _ took me back to that day, thinking I would change the past and hoping that it would undo everything we did?"

Lavenza's hand found the hem of his shirt as she gave it a tug. Akira looked down at her saddened face. 

"Trickster...he  _ succeeded _ ."

The darkness began closing in again as Igor's hold began to slip. His smile slowly began to even out and curve down ever so slightly as his teeth clenched tight enough to crack. His shaking arm extended out in front of him, opening his palm out in front of them.

**_"Lavenza...I bestow my remaining power unto you."_ **

"Yes…Master…" said Lavenza as she took his hand and clasped it between her own two. Her black gloves glittered and turned white as Igor's struggle began to lessen.

Then, his body began to fade, just as Akira's had done only moments before. Except this time it was more rapid as it quickly rose from his feet all the way up to his neck. With his final moment of visibility, his smile returned to his face.

**_"Guide him well…"_ ** his whispered voice echoed.

And then, Akira and Lavenza were alone in the darkness.

Lavenza offered a short prayer for her fallen master as their circle of light shrank around them. Just as the darkness met their shoes, Lavenza flicked her wrist out in front of her. A door, much like the one Akira once used to enter the velvet room, appeared before them.

"Come, Trickster. We haven't a moment to lose," Lavenza beckoned as she gestured to the door.

Once in the real world, Akira allowed himself to fully process what happened. Yaldabaoth took advantage of his love for Makoto and brought him to the metaverse of the past where he, successfully, tricked him into altering the present.

How much was different? Was Makoto's father actually alive in this world? Did the Phantom Thieves still exist? Did he and Makoto still meet and fall in love? Was she happy regardless? So many questions popped up in his mind. He felt like he couldn't move forward until he had at least one answer. He needed to know if Makoto was alright.

"Lavenza…" Akira called out to the girl.

She didn't respond. She already knew what he was about to ask. Something she didn't want to provide the answer to.

"Lavenza, I'm sorry, but I have to know. Where is Makoto? Is my wife okay?"

Again, she didn't answer him, instead holding her hand out in front of her as another door appeared before them.

"...Follow me, please…" she said softly.

Akira followed her through the door and was led to...

A cemetery.

Akira choked up. "Lavenza… Why did you bring me here…?"

Again, no answer. This wasn't any easier for her than it was for him. She simply began walking, trusting that he would follow. A knot formed in Akira's stomach at the implication as Lavenza silently guided him amongst the graves. Then, she stopped in front of one. She turned her head to the side, and looked down at the tombstone beside her. It read:

_ Beloved Husband and Father _

_ Isamu Niijima _

_ 1968-2016 _

"He...He's still dead? I failed…?" Akira asked, a pained expression shown clear on his face.

A tear fell from Lavenza's eye as she gripped the hem of her dress. "That isn't why I brought you here...Akira…"

Lavenza stepped aside, revealing the tombstone she had purposely hidden from his view. Tears welled up in Akira's eyes and his heart sank as he read the text:

_ Beloved Daughter and Sister _

_ Makoto Niijima _

_ 1998-2016 _

  
  
  



	2. Chapter 2

_ Thump...thump...thump… _

His heart continued to beat, but for what purpose? He felt dead inside. Makoto, his beloved wife, lay dead six feet beneath him. Tears poured from his face as he fell to his knees, clutched the earth and then let out a groan of agony and grief. Lavenza could do not but watch as he cried atop her grave. She couldn't rush this, nor could she provide comfort with the promise of being able to change this horrible fate, for she did not know if they could.

The pain was insurmountable. His heart was destroyed, torn asunder as the contents spilled from his eyes. He felt like he'd suffocate from his own voice as he sobbed louder than he ever had in his entire lifetime. His life, the life he shared with Makoto...it was over.

"... _ How _ ?" he asked, his voice deafened by his own weeping.

"I...I don't think that is an event you wish to see," Lavenza warned. "It may only bring you more suffering..."

Akira looked up at her, tears continuing to gush forth. "Please…" he pleaded, "please...I have to know how she died…"

Lavenza hesitated as she considered his request. Doing this could render him incapable of taking any action to change their fate, but...she couldn't deny him this. He had the right to know.

"...Remain still," she finally said.

Lavenza stood in front of Akira who did as told. She gently held both sides of his head with her white gloves. They began to glow once again—this time serving to transport a part of his mind instead of his body. His tears began to lessen—a small gift from her to him—as he felt his consciousness slipping only seconds later.

"What you are about to see are the echoes of events that transpired in this world…"

* * *

_ Fear. _

That's what any teenage boy would feel when sitting across from their girlfriend's father. Add a criminal record and a girlfriend who tells her dad everything on top of that, and that fear grows tenfold. Beads of sweat rolled down the sides of Akira's face as he sat in the Niijima residence alone with Makoto's father. The dining table between them might as well have been a small desk with how intimidated he felt by his presence. 

The man was a cop, and a damn good one at that. It didn't take too much effort for him to get a hold on his daughter's delinquent boyfriend's arrest report. But he did that because he was also a good father, or so he liked to believe he was. Obviously, he was skeptical when Makoto told him that her first boyfriend was a falsely accused criminal. But he knew he didn't raise a foolish girl who could be easily manipulated by a boy. His confidence in his parenting skills would be misplaced if he didn't trust in his daughter's judgement. 

Hence, the report. He would give the young man the benefit of the doubt for Makoto's sake and meet with him. 

But was Akira made aware that he would be meeting with her father alone? No. Did he know beforehand that her father had fished up his arrest report and would question him about it? Also no. This was a test apparently, as much for her in not telling him as it was for him in being the subject of this mild interrogation. 

At least, he  _ thought  _ this was to be an interrogation. Her father didn't say a word as he flipped through the pages of the report. He had every right to drill into the boy; after all, they'd been dating for about two months before Makoto finally told him about Akira. But instead he seemed calm. Confused to hell by what he was reading, but still calm. The occasional question was asked, just a small detail here and there to verify that the boy knew his circumstances and also to fill in some strangely omitted details in the report. Eventually, he put the papers down and at last looked his daughter's boyfriend in the eye.

"...This report. It was made by either the most incompetent cop, or the  _ dirtiest _ ," he said. "Makoto tells me you believe it's the latter."

"I do, sir…"

_ Sir.  _ Either the boy had manners, or he was just good at pretending to show respect. Both were good qualities to have, but one would sow deceit in the eyes of any discerning father.

Makoto trusted that his side of the story was true: that he was wrongfully punished for defending a woman from sexual assault. In doing so, the attacker was injured and unfortunately able to spin it as Akira being the aggressor who assaulted the man. Yet the names of both the woman and the fiend who attacked her we left out of the official report. Their justice system was for shit, but even a case like this required proper paperwork to carry out any sort of penalty. The boy must have pissed off someone in high places, that much was clear.

Isamu looked at Akira once again. Despite being a nervous mess, not once did he break eye contact. That's no small feat when those eyes belong to a member of the Niijima family. Their fierce, reddish-brown eyes had served all three members of the family well in invoking a certain level of intimidation in all who opposed them. To stare directly into them was to proclaim nothing but bravery. Maybe he was serious about dating Makoto.

_ Maybe _ he was telling the truth.

"Kurusu-kun, I'm going to be honest with you. This whole case is a joke. The kind that doesn't make sense."

Akira exhaled the breath he was holding as he finally diverted his eyes downward.

"...That doesn't mean I trust everything I've been told, not fully at least," Isamu added.

The escaped breath somehow found its way back into Akira's lungs as he tensed right back up. "Y-Yes, sir…" was all he could say.

Isamu chuckled. "Relax, kid. I'm going to look into this more on my own. But for the time being, so long as you answer one last question, I will allow you to keep dating my daughter."

Make or break. Do or die. Fight or flight. Actually, that last one didn't apply as Akira was quite certain her dad would beat his ass and running wasn't an option either as he stood between both him and the front door. This was it, the  _ final  _ question. He had to answer, and answer truthfully as Isamu wasn't the sort of man to accept anything less when it came to his children. Akira gulped as Isamu leaned forward, placing both elbows on the table as his fingers interlocked in front of him. His eyes bore into Akira straight down to the depths of his soul.

"...Do you  _ love _ Makoto?" Isamu asked.

"I do," Akira answered immediately without thinking of the consequences.

A slight curve found the corner of Isamu's lips. That was the same response speed he'd encountered this morning when he gave Makoto a similar yet more casual version of this "interrogation."

_ "...Do you love him?" _

_ "I do. He's the one, dad. I know it." _

Akira didn't add the soft proposal at the end, likely due to fear of being murdered, but Isamu could tell that the boy felt the same. His job as her father just got a whole lot more difficult.

"...Then you have my blessings to date my daughter," Isamu said, extending his open hand to Akira as he stood up.

Akira took his hand and gave him his best attempt at a formally firm handshake. The kind one would perform exclusively for their significant other's father who they believed would end their relationship if they shook their hand any other way. Smart. Isamu returned the handshake with matching firmness, if only to yank Akira in close enough to whisper in his ear.

"But if you even  _ think _ about hurting my daughter, you won't be the only one with assault charges against them. Do I make myself clear?"

"Y-Yes...sir…" Akira nervously replied.

The shiver in his spine stuck with him all the way down to the street in front of their apartment building. He didn't think he'd ever be able to relax again if that man ended up being his father-in-law.

But…he was  _ alive _ . 

Akira had survived the scrutiny of Makoto's father. The tenseness in his back finally felt at ease as his slouching posture returned to him. He was relieved, but even more so, he was  _ happy _ . He actually went into that apartment alone and left with her father's blessings. Now nothing could keep them apart.

He pulled out his phone and opened his private messages with Makoto as he made his way to the train station.

….

"So, I didn't die."

"That was... _ fast _ . Is everything alright?"

"Better than alright.

Guess who has your dad's blessings?"

"He actually told you that?"

"Yep. All I had to do was tell him how much I love you."

"...You actually told  _ him  _ that?"

"Where's the confidence?"

"Sorry…

I'm just genuinely surprised.

I always thought that if I met someone that it'd be a lot harder than this.

I think my dad likes you."

"Well, he did threaten to put me in the hospital if I broke your heart.

So there's that."

"Yeah, he definitely likes you."

"Hate to see what  _ 'love' _ looks like…"

"Maybe I'll show you later.

Courage such as the kind you displayed today ought to be rewarded."

"...See you later, then?"

"Certainly.

We can count those blessings together~"

….

Akira smiled as he put his phone away and boarded his train. He didn't expect to make any friends in this new life of his, much less meet his soulmate.

* * *

It had only been about three months since he moved to Tokyo. Well, more like he was exiled from his old town and had to relocate if he wanted to receive an education at the only school that would enroll a parolee. He would have to work twice as hard to get half as far with a record; all while living in some stranger's stuffy, cafe attic. It was hard, and even harder when rumors of his past started circulating around the student body.

_ "Hey, is that him?" _

_ "The criminal?! No way! Why is he here?!" _

_ "I heard he beat the shit out of a guy with his bare hands..." _

_ "Don't look at him wrong! He'll kill us!" _

_ 'Just ignore it, it'll go away.' _ That's what he told himself. 

It didn't, the rumors only got worse. A week was all it took before people just started making things up with no regard for the facts. They didn't care for even a second about the damage they might do so long as it was an interesting conversation subject. It was selfish and rotten of them, but really there was nothing he could do about it besides keep to himself and try to block it all out.

Surely the library, after school of course, would be the ideal place to attempt such a seemingly impossible act, right? Wrong. Within seconds of sitting down at a nice, secluded table, whispers reached his ears.

_ "Oh god, is he actually studying? Is he one of those super-smart psychopaths that has human body parts in his freezer?!" _

That was just...wow. It took the cake alright. Evidently all of his studying would have to take place in that stuffy attic he called home. Collecting his things, he stood back up and left soon after. He was in such a rush to find some peace and quiet that he paid no heed to the girl right outside the library door.

_ Thwip! Thud, thud, thud! _

The collective books and study materials of both students had found its way into a fine mess on the hallway floor. On top of the pile was a black and white...pencil case? Akira thought it looked like a panda as the girl hurried to grab it before anything else.

"I am  _ so _ sorry about that," Akira said as he quickly joined the girl in crouching on the floor.

"...It's fine. Just try to be more attentive next time," she said coldly.

They silently collected their things without any conversing, or eye contact for that matter. It wasn't until they each held a study guide in their hands that they were forced to acknowledge the other further than either of them planned. Upon each cover read the names:

_ Akira Kurusu. _

_ Makoto Niijima. _

Makoto's reddish brown eyes and Akira's dark gray eyes met for the very first time as they finally addressed one another properly.

"Oh, u-um…" Makoto tried to say as she uncharacteristically drew a blank in her mind.

Akira was worse off. Not a word passed his slightly parted lips as he stared deeply into those eyes of her's. He felt a strange sense of... _ warmth? _ Familiarity, perhaps? But he had only just met this girl…

Makoto was the first to snap out of the awkward silence. "...This belongs to you, I believe," she said whilst handing him his study guide.

"Right...erm-Right! Yeah, sorry," he said, finally able to divert his eyes from hers as he handed her her own guide. "And this is your's."

"Thank you," she said more politely this time.

That could have been the end of it. Just another awkward exchange between two teenagers of completely different social status. After this, they would simply return to their separate paths, never to speak to one another ever again under normal circumstances. But for whatever reason, Makoto felt as if she needed to involve herself further.

She turned around right as she was about to open the library door. "...You're Akira Kurusu-kun, correct? The infamous transfer student?

Akira sighed. "Yeah... _ that  _ one."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to insult you."

"No, it's fine. I'm used to it by now," he said.

Another awkward silence. This one was less  _ "Who is this person and why is my heart racing?"  _ and instead more  _ "God, I'm such an idiot. Why did I say that in front of them?"  _ Teenage angst at its finest.

"...May I ask  _ why _ you were in such a hurry?" Makoto asked, breaking the awkwardness.

"Yeah, I was just...heading home...to study…" he trailed off.

"Is the library an insufficient environment to do so?" Makoto followed up.

"No, it's ideal. But the people in it are just...less so."

Makoto nodded as she finally understood. "Ah, the rumors. My apologies, I've been meaning to have a word with certain individuals regarding student harassment."

"That's something you can do?" Akira asked with a raised brow.

"You don't know who I am, do you? I'm Makoto Niijima, the Student Council President."

She took pride in saying that. At first she only obtained the position due to pedigree. Her older sister was once also the student council president many years ago. But Makoto took it much more seriously. Under her guidance, the council was able to bring multiple matters to light in the absence of their principal's integrity; including but not limited to the misconduct of a certain volleyball coach last year. There's no telling how badly that could've turned out if Makoto and the council hadn't intervened. And yet somehow, rumors of a single student's personal life continued to be a problem for an entire week, impeding that student's ability to study. This was unacceptable.

"If you would, please follow me," Makoto requested.

Akira followed her back into the library where they were  _ almost _ greeted by the girl running the front desk, her smile instead turning into a dirty look as soon as she set eyes on Akira. Makoto shot her a glare as the girl quickly looked down in shame.

"...Is the AV club room empty?" Makoto asked, trying her best not to sound pissed. Because she  _ was. _

_ "Yes, madam president…" _

"Great, give me the keys," Makoto ordered. "Oh, and I better not catch you discriminating against a student again."

_ "Y-Yes, madam president! I'm sorry, madam president!" _

Akira was in awe as they walked by her desk. Just a few words and Makoto completely decimated the librarian's will to be the total bitch that she was. Makoto may be the student council president, but she was also...something else. It was kind of hot, actually.

He didn't know what Makoto was planning to do as she guided him into the pitch black darkness of the AV room. They'd only just met, but for some reason, he was really looking forward to going into that room with her. They stood alone in the darkness until Makoto found the light switch. In the center of the room was a table just like any other in the library.

Makoto closed the door behind them, sending an anticipatory shiver up Akira's spine. What was he expecting, exactly? Why was he shaking? It wasn't out of fear, more like...excitement? A myriad of questions without answers flooded his hormonal mind as he tried to understand why this scenario seemed so damn familiar.

"There, do you hear that? Nothing." Makoto said, snapping him out of his flusterment. "The walls are soundproof. You won't hear a decibel of gossip from in here."

Akira gave her a confused look.

"You can study here after school, Kurusu-kun," Makoto clarified.

"For today…?"

"Indefinitely," she said. "At least until the rumors have subsided."

He let out a soft sigh of relief. Peace and quiet, she gave him exactly what he wanted. After setting down his bag on the table, he turned to her and smiled. "Thank you, Niijima-senpai. This means a lot."

She returned his smile with her own. It wasn't every day that someone showed genuine gratitude for something she did. Even she desired the occasional vindication that she was doing this job right.

"Well then, I'll leave you to it," she said, turning to the door.

This was when it would have ended. Just a senpai assisting her underclassman and indulging in a little bit of gratitude for simply performing her duties as expected of her. And yet Makoto froze once again as her hand rested on the doorknob. She bit her lip in frustration as she silently faced the door.

_ Why? _ Why did it sadden her to say goodbye to him? They'd never even spoken to each other until ten minutes ago and yet it felt like an eternity. Was she having a mental breakdown? She could find no other reasonable explanation as to why she was feeling...whatever this was. Stress, maybe? No, sodium imbalance. Yes, that must be it. Perhaps she was overdue for a physical check-up. She could ask her father to schedule an appointment with their doctor later. Makoto looked back over her shoulder to the strangely intriguing boy as he looked down at the pages in front of him, addled by their contents.

Actually, there was a more immediate solution to this problem. Makoto soon found herself leaning over his shoulder to examine his progress. 

"Do you perhaps need assistance? I'd be happy to help you catch up with the 2nd year curriculum."

* * *

That was how it began. A chance encounter, a crossing of paths, but most importantly: a friend.

Neither of them had known just how badly they both desired one until that day. That's not to say Makoto was antisocial, just...well, she was making a habit of following in her sister's footsteps and keeping a strictly professional barrier around her for the sake of her future. And Akira, obviously, hadn't encountered anyone at Shujin who was as willing to reach out to him as Makoto was. It was a strange pairing, but welcome nonetheless.

This went on for about a month. Their study sessions eventually branched out from the seclusion of the AV club room once the rumors of Akira's criminal record settled down. Well, more like those rumors were overwritten by newer,  _ saucier  _ rumors…

_ "Shhhh! They're coming this way!" _

_ "Ohhhhh, is Miss President dating a bad boy~?" _

_ "Yo fuck that guy, man! I wanted to ask her out!" _

_ "Not gonna lie, they do be lookin' kinda cute together though…" _

Makoto and Akira blocked it all out for the most part. It was just senseless gabble to appropriate a relationship they really had no say in. They couldn't believe their fearsome, uptight student council president actually enjoyed the company of the school's most notorious "bad boy" type. To suggest they were romantically involved was ludicrous, but...they'd be lying if either one of them said the thought hadn't crossed their minds.

_ 'Does he like me?' _

_ 'Does she like me?' _

The answer would come sooner than they thought.

It was a day like any other. They had the courtyard all to themselves during the lunch period; a result of Makoto shooting certain particularly-nosey students with her trademark glare. Usually they'd have brought their own lunches, but today, Makoto accepted Akira's offer of his own cooking. That wasn't overstepping the boundaries of their friendship, right? It was just curry...that he spent hours last night perfecting...to impress her. Okay, maybe he had an ulterior motive. 

It was that smile, that damned smile. His entire being felt devoted to it's radiance. Every time he saw it, he thought only of how he could make the next one appear, as if it was his job or something.

Saying hello as they walk to the front gate in the morning; smile _.  _ Showing her his high exam scores and thanking her for all her help; smile _.  _ Sharing an afternoon together as they ate curry that he made with all his love;  _ smile.  _ Except this one was partially covered by her hand as her mouth was full of curry. Her cute side was on active duty today.

"It's... _ delicious, _ " Makoto whispered from behind her fingers. Her praise was not accompanied by surprise. Like a lot of things she knew about him but didn't quite understand  _ how  _ she knew, being a good cook was one of them.

"I'm glad to hear you like it," he said cooly, hiding the full brunt of his joy. His confidence just maxed out.

But like Icarus before him, he flew too close to the sun. Or rather, his face was too close to the spoon that held a fair amount of curry goodness in front of him. His cheek bumped the unbalanced scoop and sent it's messy contents plummeting down onto his lap. His confidence was now forfeit.

_ 'God damnit…!' _

Embarrassed didn't even begin to describe how he felt in that moment. Everything was perfect, everything was going right for once. His plan was to pour half his heart into the curry and the rest into a confession after their meal. Now? Haha...no. This "date" amongst friends was to end with him awkwardly cleaning up his mess while she looked down at him with either disgust or amusement—neither worked in his favor. Completely defeated, he took a napkin to his lap in shame and began cleaning the majority of the mess before addressing the smudge on his face.

But the mess on his face was being cleaned all the same. Not by him, but by Makoto, who didn't even ask permission before taking her own napkin and tenderly began cleaning his cheek as if it was a completely ordinary thing for her to do. 

He hadn't even realized until now that she had slid closer to him on the bench. Her entranced gaze darted from his cheek, to his  _ lips,  _ then to his eyes; as if she knew what  _ she _ wanted to happen but was afraid that he didn't. Her succulent lips parted as a hot puff of air grazed his skin, letting her desire be known.

They leaned forward, a surprised look exchanged between them before they both eased into their first kiss with blissfully closed eyes.

She didn't lie. It  _ was  _ delicious.

* * *

_ Two months later… _

Bliss. Just bliss. That was the only way to describe how they felt being together. It was a peculiar feeling to discover how incomplete your life was until something, or  _ someone,  _ unexpected came into it. Even more peculiar when you have this unprecedented sense of familiarity towards your new significant other. Maybe it was fate, or maybe they were just highly compatible. Either way, Makoto and Akira both felt whole for the first time in a very long time.

They say that when you know, you  _ know. _ Maybe it was a bit premature and perhaps very irresponsible to think that way after only knowing each other for three months, but...they did. As unexplainable as it was, they both knew:

_ 'This is it. I'm meant to be with this person. My soulmate~' _

And now that they had her father's blessings, they planned to do exactly that. Going on dates, kissing, telling each other how much they love the other at least three times a day; that sort of thing. The urge to suppress thoughts of marriage dwindled by the day. Luckily, Makoto's place was the destination of choice when they wanted privacy, meaning Makoto's  _ father _ was usually around to give the lovebirds a much needed reality check.

"Studies and employment first, follow your heart second," he said in his stern yet supportive "dad" voice.

"I know, dad..." Makoto replied discontentedly from the couch as Akira immediately took his hands off her at the interruption of her father's presence.

"...and make sure you use contracep-"

"I KNOW, DAD!"

Isamu smiled, proud of himself for successfully embarrassing her, and proud that Akira hadn't been scared off by the outburst. He himself was starting to think that maybe Makoto really did find a keeper on her first try, just like her old man. Hopefully the likeness would end there and keep them together well into their golden years—a life he was unfortunately unable to live out in full with her mother. To avoid that kind of lasting heartbreak...he had no greater wish for his daughter.

...But wishes  _ rarely _ come true.

* * *

Something was off. No, it wasn't sensed by some unexplained clairvoyance into his lover's soul. It was because Akira sat alone in the courtyard, on a day he and Makoto agreed to have lunch together. She wouldn't just ditch him like that without a reason. And yet, upon checking his phone, neither text nor voicemail provided an explanation. Their routine of walking together from the station to the school's front gate was also absent earlier this morning. It was just something they'd indulge in from time to time so long as neither of them were running late, so he thought nothing of it at the time.

_ 'Maybe she's sick…?'  _ he wondered to himself. He sent her a text, just to be sure.

….

"Hey

Haven't seen you at school today

Are you feeling alright?"

….

When the final bell rang and he checked his phone, he saw no answer. Perhaps she was resting and missed his texts? That was the best case scenario: that she simply took a sick day and he was just being an excessively worried boyfriend. Worst case? ...He didn't like where his thoughts went. His heart felt constricted by all the possibilities. In the end, his worry drove him to take a train to her place instead of going home. At the very least, he could ask her father if she was alright.

But he didn't see her father's car in the lot outside their apartment when he arrived. Any normal boyfriend would be elated to see that his girlfriend's father wasn't home, but it only brought Akira more reason to worry. He'd gotten to know the man decently enough, and knew for  _ certain _ that he wouldn't just leave Makoto to care for herself if she were ill.

_ 'Did they go somewhere…?'  _ was his next thought. That didn't add up either as, again, Makoto would have told him.

He rang the doorbell regardless, not knowing what to expect, if anything. A brief moment of silence passed before the sound of footsteps, from walking to running, could be heard approaching the door. Someone was home, providing him with a fleeting moment of ease until the door violently swung open.

"DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW WORRIED I W-"

Makoto stood halfway through the doorway, her hand clutching the doorknob as she froze. Her shouting ceased as soon as she realized it was her boyfriend at whom she was screaming. Then a tear rolled down her cheek.

"I...I…" she tried to say but choked up as she held her face in her palms and began to sob.

Akira needed no further cue. He immediately closed the distance between them and pulled her close, replacing her hands with his shoulder as she trembled in his embrace. He pressed no further; she felt so tense in his arms. Right now, she only needed to cry.

They stood there at the entrance, the door still wide open and forgotten as Akira held Makoto. Eventually, her crying began to quiet down. She pulled away from his shoulder to look up at him with her dewy eyes. His warm smile and reassuring nod told her that she didn't even need to ask. After closing the front door, Makoto led him to the living room couch for a much needed explanation. He was more than willing to listen to all she had to say.

"My dad is...missing," Makoto said. "I haven't heard from him in three days."

This wasn't the first time her father worked long hours, or even second or third. He was a single father who worked tirelessly to support and care for Makoto since her older sister had moved out. Of course he took his job seriously. But each time he knew he would be working late, he would make  _ certain _ to inform Makoto. Worrying her was the last thing he wanted.

"Have you called the police?" Akira asked. "His coworkers, I mean. Can't they tell you where he is?"

Makoto shook her head. "Inspector's daughter or not, I'm a civilian. If he's undercover, they can't have me trying to contact him. But I  _ know _ he would never do something so dangerous without telling me."

"What about your sister? Would she know anything?"

Makoto scoffed. "Sis was the first person I called. Do you know what she said?  _ 'Dad's just being dad. Stop being so childish and look after yourself for once.'  _ She doesn't care, Akira. She never cares about dad anymo-"

He placed his hand on hers, prompting her to take a deep breath. He'd been made aware of her... _ testy  _ relationship with her sister after she moved out and became independent. Apparently, Sae felt betrayed that Makoto held their father responsible for raising her all on his own when it was  _ Sae  _ doing most of the domestic work for much of Makoto's childhood. In any event, it was a problem for another day.

"...You're right. I'm sorry," Makoto said. "I'm just so... _ frustrated _ . I feel so useless right now."

"You're not useless," he assured her.

Makoto gave him the first smile she'd had in days. His presence, his kind words, his love; they were of great comfort to her. She knew that whatever she decided to do, Akira would support her decision. But even beyond that, he would help her. It wasn't easy for her to ask such a thing, so having someone who can read her like a book was a godsend.

"...Could you come with me, please?" she asked, still holding his hand as she stood up.

She led him down the hall, towards the bedrooms. At first Akira thought she was taking him to her room, but they passed it and continued on to her father's bedroom. A few questions arose in his mind before she opened the door and the bed, desk, and some parts of the floor were revealed to be completely covered in paperwork.

"...I assume this was all you?" Akira asked as he made his way to the desk, being extra careful not to step on anything.

Makoto instead walked to the bed, sitting down at the one clear spot she had been sitting at before she heard the doorbell ring earlier. "My dad's case files. The relevant ones are over here."

She'd been at this for a while, apparently. Akira less expertly made his way across the minefield of documents. She handed him one in particular as she cleared a spot for him beside her.

"Junya...Kaneshiro?" he asked as he looked it over.

"I take it you never heard of him?" she asked.

"Can't say that I have."

Makoto smiled as if proud of him. "Good. You're officially  _ less _ of a delinquent than a few dozen of our school's own students."

"Wait, what…?" Akira asked with a cocked brow.

"If you look on the third page, you'll find an arrest warrant for a man who allegedly works for Kaneshiro. Among the charges are blackmail and racketeering involving minors." Makoto leaned across the bed to gather some other, more informal documents of her own. "I… _ might have _ taken the liberty of looking into certain students who've displayed suspicious changes in behavior over the last semester."

"I won't judge," Akira chimed in, still skimming the report.

She scoffed. "Thank you. Anyways, I discovered a striking lack in attendance from numerous students in various after school clubs and activities. In addition, most of those very same students have been spending much more money than usual."

"You think they're working for Kaneshiro?" Akira asked.

"I  _ know _ they're working for Kaneshiro," Makoto corrected him. "It's the only reason my dad would have gotten involved in the investigation so suddenly."

"Maybe that's  _ why  _ he didn't tell you," Akira suggested. "Maybe he didn't want to worry you."

"And instead just worry me by disappearing for three days? No, he would've known that would be harder on me. This isn't something he planned, Akira. Something feels  _ wrong. _ "

Akira put the papers down on the bed and sat down next to her. Makoto was stubborn and she trusted her gut, just like her father. Just one look in her eyes and he knew that she wasn't going to stop here. She was ready and willing to do something reckless next. He sighed quietly. What kind of boyfriend would he be if he let her do it alone? He took her hand into his as he nudged her with his shoulder.

"So what's our next move?" he asked.

* * *

_ The next day… _

Shibuya—the amalgamation of countless people who walk shoulder to shoulder without knowing who the stranger next to them is or what they were doing. Were they honest civilians on their daily commute? Or nefarious criminals and their drug trafficking underlings? The answer, as expected, was not so easily deduced.

Hours of searching yielded zero results.

_ "Excuse me, have you seen any suspic-oh, okay. Thank you for being no help whatsoever." _

_ "I know this is gonna sound weird, but have you seen shady guys hanging around teens my age?" _

_ "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I'm looking for my father. He's about this tall, ash-brown hair, likely has a police badge on his belt. ...I see. Well, thank you for your time." _

_ "My girlfriend's father? Cop, broad shoulders, scruffy beard, moderately intimidating? No? Alright, thanks." _

Simply asking out in the open was getting them nowhere. But perhaps that was the issue? After all, if one wishes to find a cockroach, they should check the darkest, dankest place. In this case, the shadiest back alley they could find.

It was decently inhabited by a few rough-looking individuals. Among them were several men sitting around a table outside what seemed to be a bar. They seemed to be playing a card game of sorts while drinking the remaining hours of the day away. Akira had more than a few reservations towards Makoto engaging any sort of contact with men he assumed were very familiar with the back of a police cruiser, but there was no getting her to back down. So, the two made their way towards the group.

"Pardon me, but would you mind answering a few questions?" Makoto asked who she deemed to be the shadiest man in the bunch.

"Get lost, brat," he replied without even looking up at her.

Makoto did not "get lost" and instead proceeded anyways, albeit with a minor spin on the truth. And also sacrificed a few brain cells in the process.

"I'm  _ so  _ sorry, it's just my friend and I," she gestured to Akira, "we heard that some of our other friends from school had, like, this  _ super  _ easy job they were doing for some cool guys in Shibuya."

If the situation allowed it, Akira would have given her a pat on the back for that A+ "dumb high school girl" performance. Her improv skills had improved dramatically since they met.

The man put down his cards and looked up at the couple, curiously. "So, what? You see a couple of "thugs" in a back alley and think  _ 'oh my god, they look like they could get us an illegal job!'  _ Get the fuck outta here, kid."

"So you don't deny your involvement?" Makoto asked, breaking character. "You know  _ exactly _ who we're looking for, don't you?"

The man flung his head back and cackled. "Wow, little lady has a pair on her. Alright." He looked across the table to another, slightly better groomed thug. "Oi, a couple of high school kids are lookin' for a job. That's your trade, right?"

The other man took one last sip of beer before carelessly setting the bottle back down with a loud thud. "Yup." He stood up and tossed a crumpled yen bill on the table. Then he took out his keys and looked at Makoto and Akira. "You kids wanna go for a ride? I know a place with exactly the kinds of folks you're lookin' for..."

They followed the man to the main road where his car awaited. All the while, red flags were shooting up all over Akira's mind. This man was just  _ too _ willing to take them to their supposed base of operations. Surely Makoto realized this as well, and yet, she followed the man willingly. At least one of them had to put their foot down and call the situation like it was, and apparently it needed to be him.

"Makoto...this is too far," he said. "I know you're worried, but this? This is killing me to stand by and let happen. I can't even begin to imagine how it'd make your dad feel."

Makoto stopped dead in her tracks. ...Was it too much? Did she take advantage of her boyfriend's supportive nature? Could she ask him to take this next step with her? A heavy sigh and heavy heart was the poison that would affect them both as she turned around and hugged him.

"...I know, Akira," she whispered in his ear as she held him tightly, a tear rolling down her cheek. "It's not fair of me to make you do this, so I won't. But I'm doing this even if I have to do it alone. I  _ need  _ to find my dad."

She held him for a moment longer before pulling away from what could be their final hug. But as she turned to get into the car, she felt warmth in her hand. She felt  _ Akira's  _ warmth as he pulled her back into his arms.

"...You're  _ never  _ alone, Makoto. I would never leave you to do something like this alone."

His words brought a tear to her eye, to be tenderly wiped away with his hands as he kissed her. It reminded her of their first kiss in the school courtyard. It reminded her just how much she loved him.

Hand in tightly clenched hand, they got in the car together.

* * *

They arrived at an indistinct building. Indistinct from the outside, at least. As they approached the front entrance, music could be heard booming from within. Their "guide" knocked three times on the door. The slot at eye level opened up and their guide whispered something to the bouncer inside. A few moments later, the door was open, welcoming Makoto and Akira into what was apparently a nightclub.

And what a sight it was.

Littered on every table—besides the obvious booze—were an assortment of unmarked pills and powder, as well a few syringes. The brutish men scattered about made the men they encountered earlier in the alley look like members of high society. There were only a few women, though none of them seemed to be in a position of authority given how doped out of their minds they apparently were. That all of this was easily seen right at the front entrance was a testament to how little the people here cared about what was seen and by whom. This was a veritable breeding ground of sin, that much was clear. Definitely not a place for two teenagers.

Makoto and Akira stuck close to one another as they followed their guide to a staircase at the back of the club. Eyes were glued to them from every which direction. Backing out now was impossible. The only way they were getting through this now was directly ahead of them.

They were greeted by a long hallway at the top of the staircase. At the end, a single door, guarded by a  _ very  _ large man. Once again, their guide whispered something to a man who stood in their way. The large man chuckled to himself before stepping to the side and opening the door. But their guide did not go in first this time, instead gesturing to the room in front of them. Whoever or whatever was inside was apparently their final destination. Their hands did not part as they entered.

Inside was a surprisingly much cleaner and quieter bar area. Beyond the bar were several tables, all empty save for one. Seated around the table were a handful of men in expensive looking suits and a couple of scantily clad women who seemed slightly more aware than the ones downstairs. But Makoto's sights were dead set on one person at the table—an overweight, well-dressed man she recognized from her father's case files.

_ Junya Kaneshiro _ himself. Makoto's grip on Akira's hand tightened as she stared him down.

Kaneshiro raised his hand, silencing the idle chit chat amongst the others at the table. He returned Makoto's deathly glare with a sneer. "Well, well... Took your sweet time, didn't you? I need no introduction, I take it?"

"You knew we were coming?" Akira asked. His shock was not allayed by boiling blood like Makoto.

Kaneshiro didn't answer. He didn't care much for Akira's presence at all, really. Instead he was acutely focused on the girl giving him the nastiest look.

"... _ Where. Is. My. Father?" _ Makoto demanded through clenched teeth.

"How the hell should I know?" Kaneshiro asked rhetorically. "Call the cops or something. That's what pigs are for."

Makoto kicked the table in front of them out of anger, knocking most of the bottles and glasses over. The women scooted away from the table as some of the clearly lesser important men scrambled to wipe up the mess. All the while, Makoto and Kaneshiro remained locked in each other's sight. She knew he was lying, and he knew it was a waste of time to try and get a few laughs out before things got messy.

Kaneshiro looked to one of the men beside him who wasn't occupied with cleaning booze. In fact, the man seemed as calm as him as he leaned back and continued to drink with his suit jacket carelessly splayed open on either side of him. Beneath his arm, but only barely noticeable, was a gun holster.

"... _ Where's daddy? _ " Kaneshiro mockingly asked the man.

The man didn't respond, he only reached into his pocket as if he was told to do so beforehand. He pulled out something small and tossed it on the table in front of Makoto.

A policeman's badge, her father's badge _...stained in blood. _

Makoto stared at it in disbelief, her eyes widening as the implication set in. Her heart sank and the color in her face began to drain as her grip on Akira's hand loosened. She fell to her knees, devastated as she sobbed uncontrollably.

Kaneshiro laughed maniacally. "Ohoho, now there's a performance! Your old man was a screamer too, but it lacked that certain...ear piercing quality. That's something you only get from bitches!"

The other men in the room joined him in poking fun at Makoto's display of grief. Her whole world just came crashing down around her, and here they were,  _ laughing. _ It was cruel, horrific, and it pissed Akira off to no end, but he couldn't get caught up as well. Right now, he had to get Makoto out of here.

Akira helped her to her feet, even if she didn't feel like standing. Pulling her by the hand, he made for the door, forgetting for a moment too long what awaited them on the other side. The man, the  _ very _ large thug. He met them in the doorway, slowly walking in and forcing them back up.

"Pfft, all you kids are so fucking stupid," Kaneshiro said. "Did you really think I'd let you walk after admitting to having a cop killed?"

The large thug cornered them next to the bar. Getting around the man would be impossible—fighting was their only option. Realizing Makoto was in no such state to do so, Akira stepped forward, keeping plenty of distance between her and the thug before taking his first swing at the thug's face.

_ Thud! _

He likely hurt his fist more than he hurt the thug, who seemed unfazed as he laughed the "punch" off. He grabbed Akira by a fistful of hair, then slammed his head downward onto the bartop. A clatter of bottles hit the floor as Akira struggled against the thug's hold. The men at the table laughed and cheered as the thug pulled his other fist back to show the boy what a  _ real  _ punch felt like.

But suddenly, the thug reeled in pain, releasing Akira and instead clutching his bloodied hip. Blood dripped on the floor from the broken bottle held by Makoto. A small flicker of life had returned to her eyes.

"Get your goddamn hands off him…!" she growled.

The thug stumbled back as blood seeped from his side. He turned to face Makoto, but that was his first and last mistake. Akira recovered from the throbbing pain in his head just in time to kick the back of the thug's knee. The thug fell to his hands and knees, briefly looking up at Makoto for a split second before seeing only the bottom of her shoe as she kicked him with all her might. He was done.

Kaneshiro sucked his teeth in annoyance. "Big man, even bigger disappointment." He gestured to the man who previously held her father's badge. "...Do what I pay you for."

This time, the man pulled out his gun, and aimed it at Akira. Still a bit dizzy, but even then he knew mortal danger when it pointed a gun at his face. He swiftly ducked behind the bar counter before the man pulled the trigger. Alcohol splashed everywhere as the bullet met only more wasted booze on the shelf.

Taking advantage of his missed shot, Makoto rushed to flank the man and grabbed the gun by both the barrel and the firing pin. She twisted it, along with his hand, until she heard something pop. Presumably his finger, but she really didn't care enough to ask. The gun slid from his injured hand easily as he grunted in pain. A quick flip of the gun in her hand and a pistol whip later, the man was incapacitated.

Everyone at the table fell silent, including Kaneshiro, as they watched for her next move. Makoto had never held a gun before, it was heavier than she always assumed one would be. And yet, it began to feel lighter as black and white thoughts flowed through her mind.

_ 'Do it. He took your father from you. Make him pay. It's justice. Make him suffer. It's the right thing to do. Shoot him. He's a monster. KILL HIM!' _

Makoto raised the gun and pointed it directly at Kaneshiro. Rage and tears and flowed in tandem from her eyes as she screamed.

"DIE YOU BASTARD!"

_ BAM! _

A gun went off…but it wasn't Makoto's.

Makoto felt a body hit the floor behind her. She turned to see a another thug standing at the doorway, the gun in his hand raised after having been fired. At her feet…

...was Akira, shot in the chest. He had shielded her from the bullet with his own body.

"A-A...kira…?"

Makoto dropped the gun. She looked at him in horror as blood began seeping through his shirt. She dropped to her knees, forfeiting her own safety to put pressure on his wound.

"AKIRA! AKIRA!" she screamed hysterically, pleading for his life as he choked on his own blood.

Her voice too loud and his too muffled, she failed to heed his warning. His final words.

"Be….ind…you…"

She wasn't paying attention. She just didn't care anymore. From her perspective, she had just lost the only other man in her life that she loved, and it was her fault. She felt that she was as good as dead already.

The last thing Akira heard before losing consciousness was a second gunshot. The last thing he felt...was Makoto's body falling on top of his.


	3. Chapter 3

It started as a drop. Then a few more, and more, and more…

Rain fell all around Akira. He remained motionless on his hands and knees above his wife's grave. Mud seeped in between his fingers as he clutched the earth beneath him. The world felt empty. His heart beat now only for the memory of a world that once was. For his Makoto, now gone…lost because of him.

He could feel her pain in the vision. The heartbreak she felt in those final moments after losing both her father and boyfriend was just so overwhelming that she lost her will to live. She was _broken._ The feeling lingered within him even now, as he too was struggling to see a reason to go on…

Unyielding tears continued to drip on his dirtied hands as he cried to himself, alone in the rain. Lavenza had disappeared for some reason or another. Maybe to give him some privacy, or perhaps to reserve her own strength. But really, what was the point? They had no means of going back and changing what was done. Akira could see only his own undoing in the immediate future. Frankly, he wanted it at this point. Just to make the pain go away.

He didn't hear the approaching footsteps, or rather, he didn't care enough to recognize the familiar pitch of each heel touching down on concrete. He didn't acknowledge the approaching stranger at all until he heard a voice.

"...Can I _help_ you?" a woman asked him dismissively.

Akira begrudgingly tilted his chin upwards. Through his eyes glazed with tears he could make out a pair familiar red eyes staring back at him.

"Ma…Makoto…?"

"Yes, that is whose grave you're currently kneeled on. Did you know my sister?" the woman asked again.

Akira blinked a few times, his blurry vision eventually clearing as he took a proper look at who he was speaking to. Long, ash-brown hair with the usual combination of black and gray attire. Beneath her raised brow were the eyes she shared with her sister, looking back at him captiously as they so frequently did.

She was his sister-in-law, Sae Niijima. In her hands: some flowers and an umbrella.

"Sa-..." he started to say. But then he remembered—the _him_ of this world was dead. He never married Makoto, thus wasn't on a first name basis with her sister. "S-Sorry…" he said instead, standing to his feet.

Sae looked at him curiously. The man was covered in mud and absolutely soaked from the rain. From the look on his face, he'd been crying for at least a few hours. Devastation—she knew the look all too well. But to see it on someone that wasn't herself? That was foreign to her. Just who was this person? And why did he look as awful as she felt?

She looked away only to do what she came here regularly to do. Crouching down, she placed the flowers on her family's graves.

"...I assume you didn't know?" she asked, much less rudely this time.

"I, u-um…" he shakily started to say before clearing his throat. "I found out recently..."

"Were you a friend of hers?"

"Something...like that…"

"I see." Sae gave a halfhearted smile. "So she actually did have those…"

After that, somber silence. Just two strangers standing alone in a grave on a rainy day. Sae eventually looked to him once more. Drenched though he was, she could still see the flow of tears cascading down his cheeks. It was...oddly comforting to know someone in this world besides her actually missed Makoto. She reached into her purse and pulled out a tissue before handing it to him.

"Thanks…" he said, taking it to his face. He had forgotten that his hands were covered in mud, thus smeared said mud on his cheek when the dampened paper inevitably tore.

Sae quietly laughed as she handed him another tissue. This was an unexpected treat. Usually today was the most depressing day of the week where she'd drive out to the cemetery and remind herself that she's all alone in the world. Instead, she met an even sadder man crying on top of her sister's grave. It warmed her heart, even if he was an odd one.

Through the clouded sky, the sun was beginning to set. This encounter was to be cut short, unfortunately.

"...We should start heading back," Sae said. "It's almost curfew."

"Curfew?" Akira asked, confused as they were both adults.

Sae was as confused as him but for different reasons. "The district-wide curfew? All non-essential workers in densely populated districts are to be indoors by 9PM. Prime Minister Shido put it into affect last year."

_Prime Minister_ Shido. If he weren't numb to all emotions besides sorrow, he might have felt disgust at those words. Just another side effect of altering the past, though relatively not as important if he could be selfish for a moment. That aside, Akira simply had nowhere to go. His home was Makoto, and she was gone now…

Sae could see the sullen expression on his face. A thought crossed her mind as she looked him over.

"...If you'd like, you're welcome to spend the night at my apartment."

The offer caught Akira _completely_ off guard. Sae? Offer lodging to a stranger? One covered in mud and blubber-faced like a child? That sure as hell wasn't the sister-in-law he knew. His Sae would sooner die than get mud on her car seats. But the look on this new Sae's face suggested pleasure. As if it'd make her happy to accept a little filth if it meant helping him out. Maybe this Sae was just...nicer? The contrast gave him whiplash.

Akira could hear Lavenza's voice in his head. _"Go with her…"_ she said. _"You have nothing to gain by simply wallowing in a graveyard and waiting to die."_

It was the tiny push he needed. Igor gave Lavenza his power for a reason—a gamble. A very slim chance that somehow, someway, the two of them would find a way to make things right. Going with Sae might not be that chance, but staying here most certainly wasn't. Something was better than nothing, even if it was just finding a place to stay for the night.

"That'd be great. Thank you," Akira said to Sae.

They drove in silence as Akira got his first wide view of this world he helped ruin. Under horrendous leadership, the welfare of the people in this Tokyo seemed to decline drastically. There were...quite a few homeless people in the streets; and the police didn't seem too considerate when gathering them up for breaking curfew. Buildings that were once full of families were now condemned or being demolished. The home he once shared with Makoto? It was gone, literally. The apartment building was now a pile of rubble.

Sae's apartment, however, was surprisingly in the same location. As they pulled into the lot, Akira felt a small sense of relief in knowing that there was at least one thing he didn't ruin.

At least, that's what the outside suggested. Interior was a different story.

As Sae flipped the light switch, only a handful actually turned on. Probably for the best, for what he could actually see was deplorable. What was once a neat and tidy living space shared between Sae and her sister was now a dark, dingy, and frankly quite messy shell of what could possibly be called a home. Empty bottles were scattered all throughout the apartment, some without lids of any kind. Every surface he could see was coated in a modest layer of dust. All traces of Makoto's scent, the comforting aroma of fabric softener and great value hand cream; they were gone. The only thing he could smell now was the residual scent of something burning. Odd, as it would seem the kitchen had hardly seen any use at all recently, judging by all the empty take-out containers.

He simply couldn't believe that any version of Sae could live like this.

"Wait here. I'll get you some clean clothes," she said, as if not embarrassed by him seeing this squalor at all.

"...Appreciate it," he responded. He wasn't entirely sure if she would take offense to him getting mud anywhere—was leaning towards a pretty certain "nope."

His attention was brought to some of the bottles on the credenza of all things, just strewn about right here at the front door. It was fairly apparent that this Sae had a drinking problem. Could he fault her, though? Losing her entire family couldn't have been easy. All that "independence" probably meant she had no one to comfort her through her grief.

Tucked behind a few of the bottles was a picture frame, face down and coated in a thick layer of dust. What he had expected to be unfamiliar was actually a heartwarming sight that he had seen before in his world.

Makoto, Sae, and their father; all gathered around a dining table to celebrate Sae's college acceptance. Akira had learned from Makoto that this was the last "happy" picture they took before Sae went to college. It was mostly done for Makoto's sake, as Sae and their dad had been getting into more and more heated disagreements. But they both agreed that Makoto deserved at least one more night of them being a happy family before Sae moved out. Judging by the goofy grins on the girls' faces as Sae hugged young Makoto from behind in the photo, they accomplished just that.

Akira had once thought this picture to be adorable, but now the feeling was bittersweet. In this world, that happy little family of three was torn apart, never to be healed until two of its members were tragically lost forever.

Before he could shed a tear, he felt...warmth? A hand snuck under his arm to meet his own, gently pushing the picture frame back to its face down position. Another hand pressed some neatly folded clothes into his chest. A chin came to rest on his shoulder as thankfully clothed breasts pressed firmly against his back.

"Wha-?!"

"Shhhhh…" Sae whispered into his ear. "The shower is all yours. I'll be waiting in the bedroom~"

His rear—which up until this point in his life had only been smacked by his beloved wife—was swiftly and _flirtatiously_ smacked by his sister-in-law. The shock and horror in his face went unseen, for she had already turned around, swaying her hips as she walked to her bedroom.

Forgetting the clothes, Akira hurried to the bathroom, locking the door behind him before bracing himself on the bathroom sink.

_'What the FUCK just happened?!'_ he screamed in his head.

Did Sae invite him, a _total stranger_ , into her apartment just so she could…? ...No. No, surely there was another explanation for this. He opened the cabinet, praying to find whatever medication she had hopefully just forgotten to take today. Instead, something fell out: a box.

A box of condoms.

The box said thirty-six, but how many were left inside? Two. He looked over to the toothbrush stand, where only one stood. This Sae was not seeing anyone.

_'Okay...so she has an active sex life. Nothing wrong with that. I'll just tell her there's been a misunderstanding.'_

As he put the box back, he saw what he had previously hoped to see, but now dreaded: pill bottles. Trazodone, sertraline...antidepressants.

Sae didn't overindulge simply because she could, she did it as a coping mechanism. She was alone in the world, finding momentary respite only in alcohol, pills and meaningless sex. The once proud woman with matching will and ferocity died with the rest of her family.

And it was all Akira's fault. He tilted his head down as a sense of guilt washed over him.

Just then, the glass shower door slid open as Lavenza reappeared.

"Trickster, a most urgent thought just occurred to me," she said.

"...What is it?" Akira asked, trying his best to shake his remorseful stupor.

"Your sister of law, she met with her father the day that he originally died, did she not?"

"Supposedly," he said. "Why?"

"We may be able to use this to set fate back to its original course. But we require her assistance. You must do all that you can to curry favor with her," she said, totally unaware of what awaited him down the hall.

He picked up the box condoms and aggressively shook them at Lavenza. Her face turned a slight shade of pink as she realized what they were.

"O-Oh. No, you couldn't do that…could you?"

"NO!" he told her. "I'll just...I'll just tell her the truth. It's all I can do."

The truth being that he was her dead sister's husband from an alternate timeline in which Makoto was alive and well. Yet their father died earlier than he did in this timeline before his son-in-law from the future went back and saved him in a parallel world that reflected the human cognition. Truly, not at all confusing and/or overwhelming. Should go over smoothly. He unlocked the door and made his way to the forbidden chamber that was his sister-in-law's bedroom.

Upon opening the door, he was immediately greeted by the illicit sight of Sae laying at the foot of the bed wearing only a robe. One hand supported her head while the other traced tantalizing circles on her exposed hip. Seductive in her mind probably, but to him, this whole picture couldn't be more nauseating. That look of desire in her eyes just sent chills up his spine. He turned his head to, hopefully, send the message of disinterest. This was going to be awkward enough when she finds out who he is.

"Sae-san, there's something I have to tell you. Could you please put on some-"

"Music?" she suggested.

"N-No, that's not what I- _Hey_!"

Once again, her arms were wrapped around him. Only this time her hands went straight for the belt. Before she could fumble it loose, he spun back around to face her. First mistake.

"Me first then?" she asked, taking both ends of the tie to her robe. "Alright~"

Just as she began to pull, Akira grabbed both of her wrists, preventing her from revealing herself.

"Please…" he pleaded. Second mistake.

"Oh? Begging now? Good, I like that. _Really_ turns me on."

He could have gone his whole life without hearing those words come from her mouth. It was sickening to know that he was playing into whatever power fetish his sister-in-law was into. This had to stop before it went any further.

But further was exactly where Sae went. Taking advantage of his occupied hands, she leaned forward in an attempt to kiss him. Panicking, Akira backed up, bumping into the wall behind him as Sae firmly planted her hands on either side of him. He was trapped now. Nowhere to go as Sae leaned in again, her breath touching him in a way that no in-law's breath should as her face came dangerously close to his. He had no other choice.

Both of his hands firmly grasped her shoulders as he abruptly pushed her away.

"I'M YOUR BROTHER-IN-LAW, DAMNIT!"

Silence. Both Akira and Sae froze, the latter's air of playfulness faded. The gleam in her eyes disappeared as she tilted her head downwards, letting her hair fall in front of her face.

"...Get out," she mumbled.

"Sae, please, let me expla-"

"I SAID GET THE FUCK OUT!" she screamed in his face, tears falling from her eyes.

In her fury, Sae pushed her palms out in front of her, expecting to shove him. And yet…

Her hands went straight through his chest, to be followed by the rest of her body as she stumbled to the floor behind him. Utter shock was seen in her eyes as she looked back at him in dismay. Then, a hysterical smile formed on her lips.

"...You aren't real," she said to herself, beginning to laugh. "Of course you aren't fucking real…"

Of all the times for this to happen again, this was the worst. At first, Akira could feel his panic rising. But then he recalled a bit of advice Lavenza gave him earlier.

_"If and when you begin to disappear again, focus on your purpose in this world."_

_His purpose._

His purpose was to make Makoto the happiest woman alive. By extension, his current role would first be to undo the damage he did and return to the world in which his wife was alive. She was still at home, sleeping in bed after a night of crying her heart out. He had to come home to her—that was his goal. His purpose.

"You're not real, you're not real...YOU'RE NOT REAL!"

Akira turned his attention downward at Sae, who sat on the floor in the corner of the room with her head in her arms as she cried to herself.

...No. Makoto was his drive, yes, but right now another member of his family desperately needed him. That was his purpose at present. He had to help his sister.

Akira knelt in front of her. "...Sae?"

"Please...please, just leave me alone…" she pleaded between sobs.

He placed a caring hand on her wrist, relieved in his ability to make contact. "Sae, please look at me."

"I SAID LEAVE!" she screamed at him while smacking his hand away.

Consoling Sae was new to him, he'd never seen her in such a state before. Usually her negative emotion of choice was anger. Nothing could subside it no matter what or how hard he tried. The only time he was able to convince her to calm down was...the interrogation. Where she had _proof_.

_'Proof… Uhhh…'_

Akira patted himself down until he found what he was looking for: his wallet. Would've been better if he had his phone, or worse, who knows how exactly this whole time travel thing works. But inside his wallet was undeniable _proof._

A picture taken on the happiest day of both his and Makoto's life.

"Sae?" he asked again.

No response this time, she only tensed up more and buried her head deeper in her arms.

"That's okay. You don't have to speak. I just want to make a deal with you if that's alright."

Again, no response. No rejection either, though. That's progress.

"I only ask that you look up at me. If you do, and you still want me to leave or disappear into the parts of your mind from which you think I was born, I will. I won't argue. All you have to do is look up."

He remained quiet, patiently awaiting the moment Sae's breathing started to level out. Slowly, her head tilted upward as her puffy eyes came into view. She looked up at his face, in front of which he held a small photo in his hand. Below the photo, a warm smile.

Sae's lips parted, her jaw slowly going slack as she set teary eyes upon the photo.

It was a picture of _Makoto,_ adorning a wedding dress as she hugged a man in a tuxedo. She looked so beautiful, and... _grown_.

Tears of a different emotion fell from her eyes as she took the photo from him. She just couldn't believe she was seeing her sister as an adult. Even more, she couldn't believe that the man she was apparently wed to in the photo...was standing right in front of her; grinning ear to ear as he realized he wouldn't be going anywhere.

"What... _Who_ are you?"

* * *

It was all so surreal. All logic would suggest this to simply be another trick of her mind, tormenting and pushing her further into that deep pit of despair. Yet she couldn't deny the evidence in her hands. The photo of Makoto and her husband. She could _feel_ it—it _felt_ real.

Sae, now dressed, sat alone on the living room sofa. Akira was in the kitchen, preparing coffee. Like the beans, he thought it best to just let it steep. The big revelation—time travel, parallel worlds, a malevolent god; any normal person would either laugh or call him an idiot. Sae wasn't just anyone though, she was his sister-in-law—something she needed time to mentally process.

She was quiet even as he brought her her coffee. He took a seat adjacent to her and watched intently as she took her first sip.

"...It's _alright,_ " she said, a hint of reluctance in her voice.

Akira smirked. He made _exactly_ the way she liked it, and yet even in this world she just wouldn't admit it. Some things never change. She placed the delicious brew on the coffee table as she collected her thoughts.

"Honestly, your whole story is-"

"Crazy?" he finished for her. "I know."

"Crazy, ridiculous, asinine, just complete nonsense; all of the above. However…" she paused.

"However…?"

Sae looked at him sheepishly. "...A world in which my little sister is alive—there's nothing I want more in this life. I'd gladly give my own to see it to fruition. But you're telling me it's...r-real?"

Akira smiled back assuredly. "It is."

A tear rolled down Sae's cheek, before swiftly being swiped away. Just knowing that, somewhere, Makoto was safe and sound was a blessing to her broken heart. One she didn't fully believe she deserved.

"Did I-...the me from your world, did she-...Was I a good sister?" Sae asked.

Akira leaned back against the sofa, breathing in the aroma of his own coffee as he contemplated the answer. A lie would be the comfort she wanted, but not the respect she deserved. He owed her the truth.

"After your father died…" he started, "you took custody of Makoto. You were only beginning to set out on your own in the world after spending most of your life looking after her. So when suddenly you had to care for her while working full time as well, you felt betrayed by your father for putting work first. But he was gone, so...some of that animosity was directed at Makoto."

Sae tilted her head down, a pained expression of guilt on her face. "I...I see…"

"But I'm not finished," Akira added. "After almost four years, after all was said and done in that other world I told you about, you and Makoto patched things up. You hug, cry, laugh and tease each other just like normal sisters do."

The tensity of her brow eased a bit as she heard that. "That other world...Am I correct in assuming _you_ had something to do with us making up?"

"...I may have provided a supportive nudge or two," Akira said, smirking as he took a sip of coffee.

Sae laughed softly. "And then you used that other world to go back in time and save our father to give Makoto the happy family she always wanted. Quite the overzealous husband, aren't you? You could have just gotten her a panda plush."

They both chuckled this time. The little things that reminded Makoto that she was never alone in life was all that she needed. In hindsight, a plush definitely would've been a better option.

"There's just one thing I don't understand. Well, one thing I don't understand that you haven't told me," Sae said. "Why did you come here? Why stay in this horrible world after you saw how awful your good intentions panned out?"

There it was—the big question.

_"Because we need your help,"_ said the voice of a little girl.

Sae nearly spilled her coffee, startled by the sudden presence of a little girl standing by the sofa.

"Nice, Lavenza. Real subtle…" Akira said, his forehead in his palm.

"...My apologies. But we simply do not have time for subtlety in this situation," Lavenza said.

"Wh-What...Wh-Who…?" Sae was at a loss for words.

"My name is Lavenza. Though I believe you are compelled to think that I am, I assure you, I am not a ghost."

Sae shakily turned her head to Akira, who nodded back. 

"She's real, Sae."

"R-Right…" Sae said as she tried to compose herself. "So...you said you needed my help with something?"

"Correct. We need you to remember the day your father died in Akira's timeline," Lavenza explained. "Using your memory of that day, we should be able to go back and make the necessary corrections."

Sae looked at Lavenza with skepticism. "You expect me to be able to remember a day that never happened from my perspective? More than ten years ago?"

"It would have been right before Makoto's 15th birthday. Your dad called you immediately after I convinced him to go shopping with you," Akira said.

Sae leaned back into the sofa, closed her eyes, and tried to remember. A lot had happened since that day, a lot of memories she'd rather not relive. But some were good. Memories of her and Makoto, no barriers between them. Taking her to school, occasionally at the expense of being late herself; helping her with her homework until almost dinnertime; putting a smile on her face simply by being there…

Sae fumbled with the photo of her sister's wedding that she still held while she thought. Suddenly, it hit her— _photographs._ She stood up and walked over to the sideboard, in it: a collection of memorabilia she was ashamed to have not left out in the open. Hidden beneath it all was a book.

The family photo book.

Sae brushed off all the dust and brought it back to the sofa. She began flipping through the pages—year after year, birthday after birthday, until finally she found it.

Makoto's 15th birthday. Two full pages of happy memories for all three of them. But it wasn't the photos she was looking for, it was the envelope tucked between the pages that she sought. Inside, a birthday card, signed by their father.

"This card...I remember," Sae said. "I went ahead and bought it thinking dad wasn't going to show up. He called me when I was already leaving the store."

Akira and Lavenza exchanged a brief look of solace. This was it—the chance Igor sacrificed himself for them to have. For the first time since coming to this world, Akira felt hopeful.

"We have what we need," said Lavenza.

"Thank you _so_ much, Sae," Akira said while standing up. He was ready to go right this instant.

"You're leaving now?" Sae asked.

"Not without you, of course. For this to succeed, we require the holder of the memory to accompany us," Lavenza explained.

Both Akira and Sae looked at the girl, dumbfounded. She returned their looks with confusion.

"...Was that not implied?" she asked.

Akira sat back down, his eagerness diminished. To save Makoto, they would need Sae to help them convince her father to do exactly what got him killed. After all the pain Sae had gone through—the guilt she felt in believing she was the reason her sister was dead—how could he possibly ask her to do that?

"...I'll do it," Sae said suddenly.

Akira blinked at her, surprised by her quick response. "Are you sure?"

Sae looked back down at the photos, at herself and her father. That birthday party was one of the few occasions where they didn't argue on anything. It wasn't like they were lacking in subjects to butt heads over. But for that special day, and always that special day, they put their differences aside. They managed it because they both love Makoto with all their heart. They'd do anything for her.

"I'm sure. We had our issues, but one thing my father and I agreed on was our love for Makoto. If he knew giving his life would save hers, he'd give it without question. Just as I would," she smiled at Akira. "...and I'm assuming my brother would as well."

He smiled back—of course he would.

"...Then if the two of you are ready," Lavenza said, "please take my hands."

"...Your hands?" Akira asked.

"The means we must use to get to the metaverse in _this_ case are...unconventional," she explained.

They gathered in the center of the living room, forming a circle joined by hands.

"Trickster, I ask that you focus on the location. I trust your memory does not fail you?"

"I remember," Akira said.

"Good. And you," Lavenza looked to Sae, "we need you to focus on the memory. If it helps, try to imagine that the heart you possess now is being transported to your former self."

"I'll try my best," Sae said. She still wasn't sure what to expect from this "other world."

The three of them closed their eyes, silence befalling the apartment as they concentrated. Lavenza's white gloves began to glow, and with them, Akira and Sae's hands. Familiar to him, foreign to her; their sense of their physical placement in the world began to distort. Then, the apartment was empty.

* * *

…

…

…

_'Why on earth is the sky red?'_

Sae laid facing up on the pavement, watching the clouds go in circles over and over.

...But then a hand suddenly reached down in front of her face, breaking her entrancement.

"Because it's the Metaverse. It's trippy like that," Akira explained, as if reading her mind.

He helped Sae to her feet, who nearly lost her balance several times in the process.

"Ugh…" she groaned. "You could've warned me this would feel like a hangover."

"It'll pass...I think." He actually didn't know if entering the Metaverse with alcohol in your system would have any adverse effects, what with the Phantom Thieves being kids and all.

"Where's um…the girl?"

"Lavenza?" Akira suggested.

_"I am here,"_ her voice echoed around them. _"Though, as you have already noticed, I am without physical form at the moment. It would seem our time was more scarce than we feared._

"...So we only get one shot, you're saying?" Akira asked.

_"I'm...afraid that would be the case. For the sake of a better world, please do not fail. Good luck...Akira."_

Then, Lavenza's voice could no longer be heard.

Before Akira and Sae could process the loss of their guide, they heard something. Something _very_ loud.

_CRASH!_

The sound startled Sae, but for Akira, it served as a bittersweet relief that they successfully arrived at their destination.

"...He's this way," Akira said, gesturing at her to follow him.

Sae said not a word once she remembered what they were here to do. Parental duty—that's all this was, that's what she kept reminding herself. But it didn't make walking towards that awful sound any less dreadful. She felt increasingly more tense with every step.

As they turned the corner, they could see a large shadow racing by at the opposite end of an alleyway. In the center was a smaller shadow. Upon approach, it became clear to Sae _who_ this shadow was.

_Her father. Alive_.

"...Do you need a moment to prepare?" Akira asked.

Sae shook her head. "If we wait any longer, I'm not sure if I'll be able to face him after everything I've done and... _didn't_ do. I'm such a god damn coward..."

"There's nothing cowardly about what you're about to do. I want you to know that."

Sae gave him a half smile. To have someone else here who felt the gravity of the sacrifice about to be made was at least a small portion of the weight off her shoulders. Unlike her, it was possible he would remember all of this. _He_ would have to live with this burden—this guilt. Yet still, he knew it had to be done for the person they both loved most. This was the only way Makoto could have a future.

Sae took a deep breath, then led the way down the alley.

Recognition from her father's shadow wasn't immediate. Unlike last time where Akira physically interacted with him to get his attention, Sae and Akira simply stood in his path as he approached. It wasn't until he was a few feet away that he realized there were people in his way. Familiar people.

"...Sae?" Isamu asked. "What are you doing here? I was just about to call you."

Sae froze before her father. Her mind had drawn a blank. "Uhhh…"

Perhaps they should have rehearsed, actually. Time for Akira to pull out all the stops.

"So there I was, about to drive off," he started, "when I saw this young woman wandering around aimlessly. I asked if she needed directions and wouldn't you know it, she asked if I'd seen a man with hair and eyes that matched her's. Figured she must be that daughter you spoke of."

"Ah," Isamu said, seemingly buying it. He turned to Sae. "So...did you come to drag me along shopping with you? Because I was planning on going with you anyways."

"N-No, dad. That's...actually what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Oh?"

Another deep breath. It didn't put her at ease, but at the very least it'd give her enough breath to not have to repeat herself.

"You…don't have to worry about Makoto. I already did all the shopping. Everything's already taken care of," she said.

"Are you sure?" he asked. "We could just shop some more if you'd like. I'll pay for everything."

"No, it's fine. I…" Sae paused as she gathered the words. "...I just really miss Makoto. Please, let me do this for her."

"Sweetheart…" Her father's shadow gave an empathetic smile. "If you're that lonely in the college dorms, you can always come home."

"I know, dad. Maybe...maybe I will. After the party. But for now...you should focus on your work. If you lose your job, I doubt you'll be able to support Makoto, much less your free loading firstborn."

Isamu laughed. "Ahh, that's my girl, brutal honesty and everything. But you're wrong about one thing."

Sae looked at him, confused.

"Not _once_ have I ever not been thankful to have you around. You cook, you clean, you get Makoto ready for school; all the things a parent should do. But her parents just...aren't around most of the time."

"Dad…"

"It's okay, honey. It's true," he said. "But even though Makoto doesn't have a mother, and her father works probably more than he should...I'm happy she'll always have a sister to look out for her."

A tear fell from Sae's eyes upon hearing those words. She had always thought she wanted to hear gratitude from her father, but now she realized that wasn't it at all. What she _actually_ wanted to hear was affirmation that she was doing it right. That even in the absence of their mother, Sae was capable of giving Makoto all the love she needed.

Even as a shadow, Isamu could sense the change in his daughter. She heard what she needed to hear, spoke the truth that needed to be told. His role as her father…was finished.

"Well," he said. "I better get back to work. See you at home?"

Sae only nodded, too choked up to speak. He smiled, then turned around and began to walk towards the opposite end of the alley. Just as he was about to step into the street…

"D-Dad!" Sae blurted out.

He turned his head over his shoulder.

"I...I love you…" she said.

A warm, genuine smile spread across Isamu's face. His eyes transitioned from yellow back to their familiar reddish-brown.

_"And I love you, sweetheart. If you make it home before I do, please make sure you tell Makoto that I love her too."_

He stepped out into the light. The large shadow raced by for the final time, taking his life along with it.

_CRASH!_

She couldn't hold back the tears any longer. A steady stream poured from her hand covered face as she sobbed. Her heart felt as if it'd just been put back together, only to be shattered once more.

Akira, who had silently backed off a little during the entire exchange, approached from behind. His intent was to provide some comfort for his sister-in-law, to tell her that they succeeded and everything was going to be alright. But was it truly? Would this version of Sae have the time and support needed to heal? Would she even remember this life of torment back in his world? Words seemed meaningless now. The offer of a shoulder to cry on was about all he could do for her.

Or so he would have liked to offer. When he reached out to her, he realized something peculiar about his arm.

It was _glowing._

In the corner of her eyes, Sae could see the light emanating from behind her. She quickly turned around, only to see Akira shining a brilliant golden color from head to toe.

"Wh-What's happening?!" she asked, panicking.

He didn't know himself as he stared curiously at his glowing hands. Yet oddly, he didn't feel afraid as he did when he almost disappeared. Something about this was... _different_.

"I...I think it worked," he said. "I'm going home…"

"Y-You're leaving now?" Sae asked, still crying. She didn't want to be alone again.

Akira smiled at her, warm and genuine just like her father only moments before. Something about it just put all her worries at ease. She knew it too now. This was the outcome they sought. This was Makoto coming back to them.

Tears continued to gush forth as Sae approached her brother-in-law. She wrapped her arms around his glowing body and squeezed for all she was worth.

"...Take care of my sister. Make her the happiest woman alive, okay?"

Akira let out a soft chuckle as he hugged her back. From the feet first his body began to disappear in a glittering fashion.

"It's my reason for being," he said.

And then, Sae's arms were empty.

* * *

"How is he?" a woman asked.

"Stable. The doctors said he should wake up any day now," a different woman answered.

"Well that's good. Isn't it?"

"Except they said that last week… Also sis, did you get him a stuffed animal? Really? He's twenty-four."

The woman scoffed. "No, the _flowers_ are for him. The stuffed animal is for you. Unless you don't want it? Have you finally outgrown Buchimaru?"

"...I didn't say that."

Akira could hear their voices, but he couldn't quite connect them to a face in his mind. His eyelids felt heavy, his body even heavier. He was lying down, that much was obvious, but he couldn't bring himself to get up.

But he _wanted_ to. More than anything he wanted to wake up and see who these people right next to him were. He fought, slowly but surely trekking through the bright white haze in his head. He felt smothered by its thickness, and terrified that he might never escape. But suddenly...he punched through. The haze was gone. His body felt free, like it was his own again.

His eyes fluttered open, prompting gasps from the two women in the room. One of them rushed to his bedside immediately.

"Akira? Akira! Honey, can you hear me?!"

He tilted his sore neck slightly to the side and blinked, trying to get the image he was seeing more into focus.

Brown hair, reddish brown eyes, a smile that he always longed to see.

It was Makoto beside his bed. She was crying her beautiful eyes out, but alive and joyous nonetheless.

"M...Mako…I...god..." Akira tried to speak but he just couldn't put the immense happiness he felt into words. He weakly turned his right hand upright, taking her hand into his and giving a slight tug.

She got the message. Makoto leaned down and hugged him, sobbing into his neck as she held him as firmly as she could without hurting him. Akira began crying as well as he returned the hug and practically invited her into his hospital bed. His broken bones had nothing on the pain in his heart. Pain that was rapidly being healed by the presence of his whole world hugging and kissing him in a teary eyed fit.

The sound of someone clearing their throat could be heard at the foot of the bed.

" _'Three broken ribs, dislocated humerus, fractured femur, bruised spleen…'_ Need I go on? Please, contain yourselves," Sae said, smirking as she put down his medical charts. "I'm not bringing flowers to your funeral if you puncture a lung."

"Sis... _does_ have a point..." Makoto admitted. She released her husband and sat down in her chair beside his bed, settling for merely holding his hand. They both continued crying tears of joy, of course.

Sae rolled her eyes, trying her best to hide the fact that she too was happy that her brother-in-law had woken up from his, thankfully, short coma. It took a little bit before proper conversational skills returned to him.

"H-How um...How long was I out?" he asked.

"Almost three weeks," Makoto said. "Your other injuries were superficial, but the head trauma…"

Akira squeezed her hand tighter. He knew how terrifying those three weeks must have been for her. From the looks of it, she hadn't been home in a while, at least a few days. The work she must have miss-

_Work._

Akira's eyes widened as it all suddenly came back to him. "Wait! Makoto! Your investigation—your _chief!_ He's-"

" _Corrupt?_ " Sae finished for him. "Yes, we know. It's already been dealt with."

Akira looked at her, then back to Makoto, confused. "...What?"

Apparently, the driver who hit him was under the submission of the criminal organization Makoto had been looking into. When she brought her report to her chief, he made a call. That call resulted in his co-conspirators taking action.

But that's where it got sloppy. Typically, the driver they got to do the deed was someone with ties—someone with family or friends to be threatened should they not do as told. This driver had no one, a fact apparently unknown to everyone but him. He must have figured he could just do this job and disappear completely.

He was arrested the next day at the train station. Some uniforms on call for a particular hit-and-run involving their colleague's husband picked him up themselves. These officers did not take kindly to their chief's unjust suspension of officer Niijima, and _especially_ did not appreciate the fact that her coffee making husband was in the hospital fighting for his life because of this shithead. They wouldn't let him take control of the situation as he was told by his accomplices, only adding to their suspicions. No one was allowed in the interrogation room except for the man's lawyer and the public prosecutor.

When they showed up was when the final nail was hammered into the coffin of their chief's career and freedom. A simple plea deal was all it took for the coward to flip. On everything and _everyone_ involved. The chief was arrested and a thorough internal investigation was currently underway. Last Makoto and Sae heard, things weren't looking good for him.

"Play your cards right, and there might just be a promotion in it for you," Sae joked.

Makoto glared at her.

Sae quietly chuckled. "Sorry. You're right, old habits. We'll talk about work when you're ready."

"Well right now, all I want to talk about is my _husband,_ " Makoto said in a snarky tone before turning back to him. "How are you feeling, _dear_?"

"A little sore. But aside from that, I feel fantastic," he said. A small smirk formed on his lips as he realized how perfectly lined up he was. "I mean, who _wouldn't_ feel amazing if your's was the first gorgeous face they saw straight out of a coma?"

…Horribly corny and honestly kind of a C+ by her husband's standards, but the effort would not go unrewarded. Makoto cupped both sides of his face and kissed him, this time with much more audible mewls and lip smacking.

Sae took that as her cue to leave them to...that. She shuddered. Right before she left, however, she noticed something odd sticking out from under Akira's leg. She walked around to the other side of his bed and pulled out what seemed to be a card sealed in an envelope.

It was...eerily familiar. On the front was Makoto's name in handwriting she recognized but dismissed the thought almost immediately.

"...I thought you took all the get-well gifts home?" Sae asked the smooching lovebirds. Ironically, Makoto didn't want him to feel smothered when he woke.

"I did," Makoto said, coming up for air for only a second.

"Then what's this doing here?"

Makoto looked up, gave a brief shrug, then went back to her kissing assault on her husband. Akira didn't actively kiss back, though. His eyes were wide with shock as he set them upon the envelope. 

_The_ envelope—the one containing Makoto's 15th birthday card. An article forgotten in this world, and yet clearly written on the front was their father's own handwriting. The other Sae must have slipped it on him during that final hug. A final gift to the sister she gave everything to save.

Akira turned his head and gave Makoto one last kiss before whispering in her ear. "It's for you~"

Makoto looked back up at her sister, curiously taking the envelope before sitting down with it. Sae meanwhile looked at Akira with a captiously raised brow. Just _how_ exactly was he up to some shenanigans after waking up from a coma, she didn't know. She just knew that he was.

As she removed the card from the envelope, tears formed in Makoto's eyes as she read.

_"Happy Birthday Makoto!"_

_"Wow, hard for your old man to believe you're already 15… Seems like just yesterday you were running around the apartment in your Buchimaru pajamas. Actually wait, I think you were. Haha! All jokes aside, as a father, I couldn't be more proud of the brilliant, strong young woman you're becoming. But likewise as a father, I accept that the accompanying beauty you're growing into will attract the attention of other kids your age... Don't worry, I'm not telling you you're not allowed to date anyone. Just do your old man a favor, okay? Find someone who truly loves you. Someone who would move the Earth itself, if they could, just to see you happy. Someone who comes home to you no matter what. All I want for you in life is to live long and happily. Do that for me, okay sweetheart?"_

_"Always here with you,_

_Dad"_

The room was soon filled with the sound of Makoto sobbing. Akira would have some explaining to do later, but for now he thought it best to just let her have this moment alone with her father.

**Author's Note:**

> First real attempt at full-on angst. I tried writing this about a year ago, but scrapped it due to not being able to put Makoto in the right state of emotional turmoil. So of course what better time to whip out the OG WIP than for the first minibang I've participated in lmao. Hopefully it isn't too bad. 😔


End file.
